


Weakest Link

by Tarlan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Character Study, Community: fanfic100, Episode Related, Episode: s03e11 The Return Part 2, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-11
Updated: 2007-01-11
Packaged: 2017-10-21 19:59:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/229164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack's thoughts from a cell during The Return Part 2</p>
            </blockquote>





	Weakest Link

**Author's Note:**

> Fanfic100 prompt 004: Insides

Jack stared through the bars of the cell, listening in disbelief as McKay outlined his and Sheppard's plan C for defeating the Replicators on Atlantis. He couldn't help the snide remarks that questioned McKay's abilities, knowing Carter would have had them out of that cell in next to no time. Perhaps if McKay spent a little less time talking and more time...

Something clicked inside his head as Woolsey leaned forward, eager to hear every word, desperate to be freed from the cell before the Replicators returned to interrogate them further. Jack could understand that fear because having them inside his head was not a pleasant experience, as he had learned on more than this one occasion. That brought back memories of Carter and, more specifically, of Daniel. Although Carter was a genius like McKay, he tended to see the soldier more than the scientist when he thought of her; a soldier with exceptional skills. Daniel was different. At the start of their association, Daniel was like McKay in more ways than Jack was prepared to admit; super intelligent, easily distracted, a little whiny and a nuisance with the hay fever and his bad eyesight. Okay, so McKay was a lot worse, especially with the whining but the truth was, Jack had seen Daniel as the weakest link, as the most vulnerable of the team.

Even though events had proved him wrong on numerous occasions, when Daniel's strengths had saved the day with his empathy and his ability to understand scratchings on a wall, Jack had never ceased to think of him as the one who needed to be protected at all costs. Daniel was the civilian among soldiers, the person he had sworn in his duty to protect.

Until now, he had thought McKay was the weakest link in Sheppard's team even though, technically, he was not the only civilian. Certainly, the way he spent more time explaining Sheppard's plan than setting them free implied a level of weakness that mirrored Daniel's prevarication in those early years, before the hardships they had faced had turned Daniel into a semi-soldier.

Too much weakness for this to be real.

The cell door remained locked but unlike Woolsey, Jack was no longer fooled because he knew McKay was every bit as brilliant as Sam Carter. The cell was still locked because neither McKay nor Sheppard had any intention of opening it.

His insides churned as he watched the byplay between Sheppard and McKay, reading between the lines. He had doubted anyone would want to show that level of affection to the irascible, arrogant and abrasive scientist, even as part of a subterfuge. It worked though, adding a final touch to convince Woolsey because there had been genuine annoyance as well as affection in that clip.

Jack nodded as Sheppard apologized for having to leave them vulnerable to the approaching guards, understanding the dual meaning in Sheppard's words because they both knew what would happen next. Inside, he laughed bitterly. Earlier Woolsey had asked question after question as if Jack could possibly know more than he did when they had both been seated together while waiting for Sheppard to come rescue them. This time he did know more but no one would thank him for enlightening Woolsey.

As McKay and Sheppard scuttled away with promises to return for them, Jack had to admire McKay because the man had managed to fool him for a moment, and he had fooled Woolsey completely.

He took a deep breath as the Replicators came back to interrogate them. As the hand slid into his forehead once more, Jack fought to stay in that empty place in his mind, knowing he had to fend off the probe just a little longer than Woolsey, or all was lost.

With so much at stake, he couldn't afford to be the weakest link.

END


End file.
